Development of Motorized Groundnut Pod Picker

Abstract

Groundnut holds a prominent place in Nigeria's agricultural landscape, offering a versatile array of applications, from animal feed to edible oil and industrial uses. However, the traditional practice of hand-picking groundnut pods has posed a significant challenge for farmers, consuming time, and energy. In response to these obstacles, a ground nut pod stripper was designed, fabricated, and tested. The machine comprises of feeding tray, a picking drum equipped with spikes, a concave chamber, pods exit, and a sturdy frame. Its design is simple and easy to maintain, ensuring that it can be used effectively by a wide range of farmers. The equipment can be powered with an electric motor or a gasoline engine and is portable for easy movement. Its performance was evaluated using ground nut plants with pods to determine its throughput capacity and operating efficiency to be 146 kg/hr. and 97,6%, respectively. The overall cost of fabrication was ₦102,620 making it an accessible and cost-effective solution for ordinary Nigerian farmers. This affordability ensures that the benefits of the machine are not limited to large-scale agricultural enterprises but can be harnessed by small-scale and subsistence farmers as well.